Chelsea Guerra was a freshman architecture major at the University of Texas when she attended her first Austin City Limits music festival in 2008. Having grown up in a small town in Texas that didn’t have many concert venues, she recalls that the large-scale music fest was certainly an eye-opener as to “how big a production a live-music event can be.”

Guerra eventually landed an internship with Austin-based promoter C3 Presents and was offered a full-time position after graduating from UT, where she earned a degree in advertising and architectural studies. She currently serves as senior designer for C3 Presents and has worked on a variety of projects, including the annual ACL Music Festival and the White House Easter Egg Roll during the Obama administration, where she received a signed thank-you note from Michelle Obama. Guerra calls the experience an early career highlight.

What was the live-music scene like where you grew up?

I grew up in Brownsville, the southernmost tip of Texas, right on the border with Mexico. The music scene in my hometown was vibrant, dominated by cumbia, Norteño, Mexican pop, reggaeton and hip-hop. We didn’t have many live-music venues, but there was music and dancing everywhere—birthday parties, holidays, casual family cookouts. It was all about bringing people together and having fun.

I started as an architecture major at UT Austin in 2008 and quickly developed a sense of community alongside my 60 fellow classmates, all of whom were creative and artistic. A bunch were musicians, so lots of weekends were spent going to house shows. I loved watching live music in that setting and feeling like everyone in the room was someone I could relate to. That feeling of community has stayed with me. Even now, when I’m working on a festival with 100,000-plus people in attendance, it’s all about supporting your friends and experiencing things that are new and exciting together.

What was your first job in the music business, and what led you to that job?

I started as a design intern at C3 Presents and then was offered a full-time job after I graduated. A contact put me in touch with C3’s creative director—at the time, I was looking into different advertising agencies—but after meeting with him, it inspired me to pursue a career in the music industry. I got to work on big festivals right away. It was intense work, but it was gratifying and helped me build a solid foundation for the next few years.

I’ve learned that the best reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more work. I always had my sights on bigger projects and more creative freedom, but I knew I had to earn those opportunities. A designer’s workday is filled with all kinds of tasks, and behind every shiny, glamorous project is more tedious, unglamorous work that needs to be done quickly and well in order to make a show happen. You have to treat it all with the same diligence and care.

What was it like producing the White House Easter Egg Roll?

Working at the Obama White House—when C3 produced the White House Easter Egg Roll—was unlike any event I’ve ever been a part of. I felt so honored just to be there, and to see my work on the White House lawn was unreal. I got to watch the President speak and went on a tour of the White House. I met Bo and Sunny [the first dogs] and, afterward, we all received thank-you notes signed by the First Lady. It’s something I’m going to keep forever.

What has been your most stressful day?

ACL Festival lineup announce day is my most stressful and most rewarding day every year. I prepare an insane amount of art for the lineup announce and on-sale, including the lineup poster. There are hundreds of creative elements in every media imaginable. It’s crazy to see something I created get thousands of shares on Facebook, or get posted on Paul McCartney’s Instagram. Watching it all unveil the morning of the announce is so incredibly exciting for me and my team.

How has your current job changed from when you first started?

The expansion of digital platforms and the increase in music festivals all over the world have completely changed the way we brand and market our shows. When I first started working, my creative work was divided into two categories: print and digital. Now there are so many ways to define and reach an audience. Every day, there are new challenges that need fresh, creative solutions. My job evolves to help deliver these solutions as effectively as possible.

When does your day end?

The cliché is true: The show must go on. There are days when the 11 p.m. phone call comes my way about a last-minute change to the lineup. Festivals—the marketing, PR, talent buying and production—never operate within a 9 to 5 schedule and no two days are alike.

This article originally appears in the December 2018 issue of Relix. For more features, interviews, album reviews and more, subscribe here.